Hannah

The term that is transliterated as “Hannah” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a modification of the sign for “grace,” referring to the original meaning of the name “Hannah.” (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Hannah” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

See also Anna.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (1Sam 11:3)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding Nahash.

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 1:13

Speaking in her heart is a literal translation of the Hebrew. In Hebrew thought the heart designates the most inward part of a person, the center of one’s will and thoughts. As the context indicates (verses 12 and 15), Hannah was praying. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says she was “praying in her heart.” But the sense of the Hebrew is not that she was praying in her heart rather than in some other part of her body, but rather that she was praying “silently” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) or “inwardly” (Bible en français courant). It was customary at that time for people to pray aloud. See also the similar expression in 27.1.

Instead of the conjunction and, in many languages the connecting word between only her lips moved and her voice was not heard will have to be a contrasting conjunction like “but” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), since the normal expeCritique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testamention was that sound should come out of the mouth when the lips are moving. Other versions use words like “although” (Revised English Bible) or “though” (New American Bible) to mark this contrast.

Therefore: this word introduces the logical conclusion Eli made. In the ancient world people prayed and read aloud, so Eli naturally thought Hannah was drunk, since he saw her lips moving but heard no sounds. In some languages it will be more natural to reverse the order of the elements in this verse, using a connecting word like “because.” The following rendering may serve as a model:

• Hannah was praying silently. And Eli thought she was drunk, because her lips were moving but there was no sound coming out of her mouth.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .